Improvement in safety-thill attachments



G. SMITH. lr'rtpr o v'e'ment in Safety Thill Attachments.

No. 130,667. Patented Aug 20,1872.

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: PATENT FFIGE.

GRANGER SMITH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

naPuovEraenT IN SAFETY-THILL ATTACHMENTS.

Specification forming part. of Letters Patent No. 136,667, dated August90, 1872.

SPECIFICATION.

Be it known that I, GRANGER SMITH, of Buifalo, in the county of Erie andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSafety-Thill Attachments, of which-tho following is a specification:

The object of this invention is to obviate the danger and annoyancecaused by the reins catching upon the outer ends of the shafts of wagonsof all descriptions; and the invention consists in connecting the outerends of shafts in front of the horse by means of a removahl'e brace,strap, or spring connection, as hereinafter described.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a plan of the outer ends of the thills, andgiving the out lines of the breast of a horse, with my device attached.Figs. 3 and 4 are detached views, showing the attachment of the strap orbrace to the thills. Fig. 2 is a variation, showing a simpler method ofattachment.

A A represent the thills, and B B indicate the outlines of the breast ofa horse when placed in position between them. 0 G are two straps orbraces of any suitable material, secured to the ends of the thills, asshown in Figs. 3 and 4, and connected together in the center by a springor equivalent device, a. This spring is of any suitable form ormaterial, and is covered to protectit from injury. It passes freelythrough a ring, I), attached to the breast-strap or collar 1) of theharness. This forms the connection between the ends of the thills, andbeing made elastic in the center does not interfere with the action,forward or back, of the horse, while at the sam'e common evil, as allwho are in the habit of driving horses will acknowledge. In cases wherethe ends of the thills extend considerably beyond the horses breast theuse of the ring or loop in the breast-collar may be done away with,leaving nothing but the simple connection from thill to thill.

There are many ways of securing the strap to the ends of the thills, butthe two shown are among the simplest. In Fig. 2 I attach to the metalcap F, on the end of the thill, a semicircular-headed screw, E, having ahole through which a snap or other hook, 0, passes, and fastened to thestrap 0, as shown. In Figs. 3 and 4 another method is shown. It consistsin forming in the end of the metal cap F, on the end of the thill, adovetailed socket, into which a metal top, Gr, fits. This is formed, asshown in cross section in Fig. 3, with a groove, (1, around its base,and the end of the strap 0 being hollow is secured around it and heldfirmly thereon. piece G is held in the cap F by a self-acting spring, a,(or other catch,) which fastens into a cavity in the dovetailedprojection on the piece G. A slight pressure on the catch releases it.

What I claim is- The front ends of shafts or thills of a vehicleconnected together by a connection, 0, which is adapted to be contractedand expanded by a flexible connection, a, substantiall y as and for thepurposes herein specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

. GRANGER SMITH.

Witnesses:

J. R. DRAKE, O. N. Woonwnen.

The dovetailed

